The Birth of Bumblebee

I cannot count the number of hours I have spent on the road between Nairobi and Kimana Sanctuary over the past five years as I journeyed to and from Angama Amboseli. In the early days, when I was still orienting myself to the route, I always knew I was close to Angama when the road between Emali and Kimana Town became littered with hundreds of busy little tuk tuks scuttling up and down the highway at a breakneck speed of 30 kilometres an hour, while still refusing to move off the road. I was endlessly amused.

Fast forward to a year and a half into operation, and as a team, we were wondering how we could introduce more surprising guest experiences at Angama Amboseli. The challenge was that we didn’t want to create more logistical headaches for the utility team, who would have to set up all over the Sanctuary. What to do?

I stewed on this concept as we drove out of the Sanctuary, and on turning right onto the main highway, we were frustratingly caught behind another slow-buzzing tuk tuk. ‘I need a coffee’ I thought, glaring at the tuk tuk’s bum, wishing it was one of those cool converted coffee tuk tuks you see in movies….

Wait…

Inspiration struck!

We need a tuk-tuk at Angama Amboseli! No, actually, we need four, as the ideas of what a mobile drinks tuk tuk could do on the property and where it could go began to flow. But why would we need four if one could transform what it offered our guests, depending on the occasion and time of day?

My thoughts raced as I got back to the office, dragging the design team into my wild idea! We quickly began to dream about what it would do, what it would look like, and what colour it would be. Yellow, of course, to match the sofa and the fever trees… a little yellow transformer. Well, there was no choice; I just had to name him Bumblebee.

There were a few non-negotiables for us when briefing our friends at Pipeman in Nairobi on Bumblebee’s design — he had to be cheeky, delightful, surprising, self-contained, whimsical, joyful, and as cute as a button. Oh, and he had to transform four times a day:

Wake up with coffee, tea, mimosas, and buns on pyjama safaris; sorbet, ice-cold water, and fruit on walking safaris; elegant cocktails as the sun dips behind Kili; and finally, stargazing with hot chocolate, cognac, and dessert bittings on night drives.

Over a year later, after thousands of calls, sketches, visits, challenges, and high-fives, Bumblebee made his maiden voyage in Kimana Sanctuary. My heart could have burst with joy seeing him set up — wings raised in welcome — for our guests in the middle of the Sanctuary.

Like his namesake, he may be the smallest of the Transformers, but he is also the largest in heart — a perfect fit for delightfully delighting our guests.